And They Say, We Don’t Try
They claim to understand us, to love and care about us, and then they don’t even care to ask or know what we’re going through, and simply state — we don’t try.
They say we’re slacking off, not hurt, but lazy, not sick, but complacent, not down, but without discipline.
They say we don’t try in a demeaning tone laced with disdain, with a scornful look on their face, and go around hurting our feelings every day under the pretext of stating facts.
Oh, what do they know?
What do they know of what life has been like for us recently? Putting a foot out of bed has been the most challenging task, let alone maintaining discipline and consistency.
What do they know of the empty afternoon days, when we work on our laptops, boxed in a tiny room, with no sight of an amiable face or company, in a strange city with no family or real friends to spend our days with?
Oh, what do they know of the ways our mind has been our enemy, making it hard to breathe and live on to another day, and any help has just been entirely out of reach.
What would they even know of the sleepless nights we spend, roaming on our terrace, gazing at stars, pouring our heart out to the moon, and moistening the air that passes around our eyes, because the dark room felt too overwhelming, even with blinding lights turned on, and this high terrace under the night sky, with its cool breeze blowing, is the only place we could breathe.
Oh, don’t they know about our dreams, our aspirations?
Life has been harsh and cruel. We kept on living, dreaming, still on the road, never giving up completely, hoping one day we’d make it come true. We left our homes, our families, and all the comforts the world has to offer, and moved to a foreign society. We worked odd jobs to make ends meet, and now we’re stuck in a double life, juggling our livelihoods with our passions.
And yet, they find us in this bad spot in life, and they come to us, and utter clean facts out of their beautiful mouths — “you’re not even trying”.
What would they know about living without love? And yet, when they came to us, love was all we gave to them. And they? Did they ever see us with understanding eyes? Did they even care to know what we go through, and did they ever grow empathy for our regular struggles?
Nah.
They take everything there is to take, and then look down on us for not being able to provide more. They tell us that we’ll never be wealthy or successful because we’re not “trying” enough, and we will not be able to provide them with the luxurious life they “deserve”.
They realize that there is no point sticking around with this lost soul, because he/she would never be anybody and of no advantage. They give us an ultimatum and demand that we change. When they realize that there is a limit to their power over us, they know it’s time to leave.
Oh, Please, Do NOT Stay!
We don’t need you in our lives to NEVER even care to know, let alone understand, the darkness that haunts us in our minds, the everyday challenges we face at work, the constant alienation and emptiness, the feeling that our dreams are drifting away, far from anywhere we could reach, and our spirits and hearts dropping down to an unfathomable depth, miles and miles below the surface of the treacherous sea.
We don’t need you in our lives to live on the love and care that we provide, and give us your cold indifference and inhumane nonchalance. We don’t require you to meet us on the other end of the river of struggle, but never accompany us through moments of it, and allow you to reap with us the glorious harvest we gave our blood, sweat, and tears to nurture.
Our compassion is reserved only for those of our kind, who see a human as a human, and their eyes brim at the moments of another’s despair. For people who don’t love cars, boots, or bags more than people. Individuals who know how to understand and care about someone other than themselves.
You, who doesn’t even know the S of Struggle, E of Empathy, U of Understanding, or K of Kindness, we don’t need you. You can continue to live in your material world, but please keep your distance from us. If you had ever struggled to build your life or make ends meet, you’d know.
Thus, put on some fancy clothes and crash someone’s party. And when you are done, sleep well with your entitled self, believing you deserve all the luxury in the world, and planning on without ever working for it.
But do not tell another person that they are not trying in their life!
